The following was written by an employee of Family and Children’s Place in gratitude of our support of their mission to protect and heal children and families. Read on to see how your support can impact abused children in our community.

“The Kosair Charities Child Advocacy Center is at the very center of Louisville area efforts to prevent child abuse, stop it when it’s disclosed, and help families recover. There, children who have alleged sexual abuse are welcomed by compassionate Family & Children’s Place professionals committed to finding and understanding the truth, while preventing any new trauma to the child and family.

Forensic interviewers sit down with children to hear their story – to ask questions in a nonjudgmental environment. Police and Child Protective Services often view the interview remotely from a nearby room to aid in understanding the facts and, when possible, build a case against the person responsible for the abuse.

Pediatric professionals from the University of Louisville provide caring medical exams to document physical injuries and mental health professionals assess their emotional state and provide helpful counseling and referrals to other sources that might help restore them to happiness, health and safety.

The center is designed for children, with calming colors, child-sized furniture and youth-focused artwork. The intent is to make them feel safe, comfortable and give them support during the most painful period of their life.

For the children who have to use the center, Kosair Charities is more than just a name on the building. It’s a life and hope line, a means to understand and process the hurt, and to find the path to full recovery. Kosair’s real gift isn’t the building, or the generous donations that support the center and staff. It’s the power to give children back their childhoods, and to making this a better, safer community for children and families.”